Joshua Radin, Rachael Yamagata, And Brandon Jenner On Their ‘Coffee House Live’ Tour With Sirius XM

As presented by SiriusXM’s Coffee House channel, “Coffee House Live” tour is one of this summer’s most refreshing outings. Featuring Joshua Radin, Rachael Yamagata, and Brandon Jenner, the triple billing kicked off on July 7 at Nashville’s 3rd & Lindsley. The tour is now in the middle of the United States, playing tonight at Minnesota’s Fine Line Music Café. Upcoming cities include New York, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Cleveland, and Detroit before the tour ends on August 10 at Boston’s Paradise Rock Club.

On behalf of the Inquisitr, I had the pleasure of talking with Radin, Yamagata, and Jenner, asking all three singer/songwriters the same four questions. Radin, the tour’s headliner, is touring in support of his self-produced album The Fall. Very impressively, to date, over 100 films have featured Radin’s music. Yamagata is on the road playing songs from last year’s Tightrope Walker, which received four-star reviews from Mojo, Reader’s Digest, and the Daily Mirror alike. Jenner is known for his collaborations with wife Leah and is currently featured on Spotify’s “Your Favorite Coffeehouse” playlist.

Joshua Radin: Brandon and I met a month or two before the tour and hung out a couple times. I knew right away that we’d get along, we have some mutual friends and he’s just a really kind and generous person. Rachael and I went to college together and I knew of her for a long time. But we became friends and sometimes touring partners maybe 10 years ago. She’s just the best in every way.

Rachael Yamagata: I first recall talking with Radin after a Hotel Cafe show in L.A. I think he’d just moved to California and we spoke about music and his pursuing a career full-time. I remember it strangely vividly — standing in a crowded bar talking up against the wall. We’d spent so many years in the same place at Northwestern [University] and yet it wasn’t until California that I got to know him.

I sort of met Brandon via a Facebook live session he was doing just before this tour. I was typing in my “hellos and can’t wait to meet you” and he replied on-screen! Then in Nashville just before the run, I met him in rehearsal and promptly spilled red wine all over a rug in front of him. He googled “stain remover methods” and basically rescued it. He metaphorically does the same for us on tour.

Brandon Jenner: Josh and I made it a point to meet a few times before the tour started in order to get to know each other a bit. We hit it off nicely and I knew that the tour was going to be a great hang. Other than a few exchanges on social media, Rachael and I had never met until the tour started in Nashville. However, I had a gut feeling that she was an incredible human being and my instinct was spot-on. I’ve had a wonderful time getting to know both Josh and Rachael personally.

This tour is presented by Sirius XM’s Coffee House channel. Are you a coffee drinker? Do you have a favorite coffee house?

Joshua Radin: I love coffee. I love finding new coffee spots on tour, especially in Europe. I’m a cafe culture kind of person. I could sit in a cafe all day, people watching, reading, writing lyrics. I think Blue Bottle Coffee is up there for me in terms of favorites.

Rachael Yamagata: I’m definitely a coffee drinker. I live way out in the woods so my front porch is my go-to coffee house.

Brandon Jenner: That’s a good question as I’ve experimented with my caffeine in-take for many years. As a result of my experimentations, I feel as though I have finally settled into what works best for me. I love coffee. The taste. The ritual. Everything. But for me, green tea gives me a less frantic energy, which allows me to be more productive and present throughout the day.

What’s coming up for you after this tour wraps?

Joshua Radin: I’m going to sleep the sleep of kings. Then probably start writing a new album.

Rachael Yamagata: I’m doing some dates in China and Hawaii about three weeks after this run.

Brandon Jenner: After the tour I plan on going back in the studio to make another record. Being in the studio is so special to me. I used to watch my stepfather record in his home studio while growing up and the process always resonated with me. Going back into the studio to create some new music is something that I am very much looking forward to.

Joshua Radin: I read, hang with my friends, hike the mountains in Los Angeles, sit on the beach, drink wine, have dinner parties.

Rachael Yamagata: I’m a big fan of yard work actually and just spending time outdoors. My neighbor and I talk shop about power tools. Nature relaxes me and is the perfect tonic to the craziness of road life.

Brandon Jenner: If I’m not making on music then I am spending time with my wife and two-year old daughter. Family is the centerpiece of my life and being an exemplary husband and father is my most cherished duty.